Trump to be met by Merz on Thursday in U.S. session
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will meet US President Donald Trump for the first time since assuming office on Thursday, in a visit to Washington this Wednesday evening. A White House meeting, a joint lunch, and a press conference are scheduled, as announced by government spokesman Stefan Kornelius in Berlin on Saturday.
This will be the first face-to-face encounter between the two leaders since Merz took office on May 6. Prior to this, their interactions were limited to a brief encounter in New York many years ago. Merz will depart for Washington after dinner with Germany's minister-presidents, and will be represented by Thorsten Frei, Chief of the Chancellor's Office, at a Minister-presidents' conference on Thursday.
The principal topics for discussion in Washington are expected to center around efforts to end the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, NATO's response to escalating external threats, and the escalating trade dispute between the US and the EU. The overarching aim, however, is to determine if a rapport can be formed between the two leaders.
Merz and Trump have been in contact several times in recent weeks, including a one-on-one call and three conversations with other European heads of state, mainly focusing on efforts to resolve the Ukraine crisis. They now communicate via text messages and address each other by their first names.
Ending the war in Ukraine is expected to be the main point of discussion. Merz has advocated for increased pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to secure a ceasefire. Europeans are prepared to enact another sanctions package, but only if the United States also participates, as Putin is unlikely to be swayed by individual actions.
The state of relations between Trump and Putin will likely also be a topic of conversation. On Wednesday, Trump said it would become clear within the next two weeks whether Putin is manipulating the US or not. Trump has thus far refrained from imposing new sanctions on Russia due to a belief that he is close to reaching a deal. It is undecided at this time if there will be fresh talks between Russia and Ukraine before Merz and Trump's meeting.
The trade dispute between the US and the EU will also be mentioned during discussions. While the EU Commission handles the negotiation process, as the head of Germany – Europe's strongest economic nation – Merz can promote trust and provide input. Trump has delayed the previously threatened 50 percent tariffs until July 9.
Regarding the upcoming NATO summit in Brussels later this June, heads of state and government of the defense alliance will gather to discuss defense spending. Trump has demanded five percent of the GDP from alliance partners, but NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has responded with a compromise formula: 3.5 percent for military spending and 1.5 percent for infrastructure development. Merz has supported this proposal.
Merz recently expressed annoyance over comments made by US Vice President JD Vance, who accused European allies of endangering democracy at the Munich Security Conference. Merz also rejected criticism from the US government about the German domestic intelligence agency's classification of the AfD as a far-right extremist party, stating that such decisions are for Germany to make. Whether these issues will be raised during Merz's visit to Washington remains to be seen.
Prior to taking office, Trump has welcomed numerous heads of state and government to the White House, including French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Notable among these visits were those of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who were visibly shown within the Oval Office in front of running cameras.
Merz has approached the impending conversation with Trump in a calm manner. He has sought counsel from leaders who have already met with Trump, such as Zelenskyy, Ramaphosa, Meloni, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb. Merz asserts that the focus of the conversation will be on common interests, acknowledging differences but emphasizing similarities as well.
Other leaders, such as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, have met with President Trump in the past. During the upcoming meeting, general-news topics like the escalating trade dispute between the US and the EU, the state of relations between Trump and Putin, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine will likely be discussed.
